County Laois Contae Laoise
Motto: I bpáirt leis an bpobal  (Irish) "In partnership with the community"
Location
Statistics
Province:	Leinster
County seat:	Portlaoise
Code:	LS
Area:	1,719 km2 (664 sq mi)
Population (2006)	69,012
Website: www.laois.ie

County Laois (pronounced /ˈliːʃ/ "leash" – Irish: Contae Laoise) is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Leinster. Its name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix.

Laois is the 24th largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 24th largest in terms of population^[1]. It is the seventh largest of Leinster’s 12 counties in size and tenth largest in terms of population.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Towns and villages 2.2 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Economy 5 Politics 6 Places of interest 7 List of notable Laois people 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] History

Shired in 1556 by Queen Mary as Queen's County, Laois received its present Irish language name following the Irish War of Independence. Laois was also sometimes spelt "Leix". Portlaoise (previously Maryborough) is the county town. Laois was the subject of two Plantations or colonisations by English settlers. The first occurred in 1556, when the Earl of Sussex dispossessed the O'Moore clan and attempted to replace them with English settlers. However, this only led to a long drawn out guerilla war in the county and left a small English community clustered around garrisons. There was a more successful plantation in the county in the 17th century, which expanded the existing English settlement with more landowners and tenants from England. Neither plantation was fully successful due to a lack of tenants and because of continuous raids and attacks by the O' Moores.

Later, the county became home to a community of French Huguenots in the 1690s, who were settled in Ireland after their service to William of Orange in the Williamite war in Ireland. In addition to this, large numbers of Quakers settled in Mountmellick and developed the area.

Despite the change of the county's name in 1922, when land is sold in the county the relevant title deeds are still updated as being in Queen's County.

[edit] Geography

The county is landlocked and, uniquely amongst Irish counties it does not border any other counties with a sea coast. It is therefore considered to be "the most landlocked county in Ireland^[2]"

[edit] Towns and villages

Historical populations
Year	Pop.	%±
1653	9,915	—
1659	11,115	12.1%
1821	134,275	1108.1%
1831	145,851	8.6%
1841	153,930	5.5%
1851	111,664	−27.5%
1861	90,650	−18.8%
1871	79,771	−12.0%
1881	73,124	−8.3%
1891	64,883	−11.3%
1901	57,417	−11.5%
1911	54,629	−4.9%
1926	51,540	−5.7%
1936	50,109	−2.8%
1946	49,697	−0.8%
1951	48,430	−2.5%
1956	47,087	−2.8%
1961	45,069	−4.3%
1966	44,595	−1.1%
1971	45,259	1.5%
1979	49,936	10.3%
1981	51,171	2.5%
1986	53,284	4.1%
1991	52,314	−1.8%
1996	52,945	1.2%
2002	58,774	11.0%
2006	67,059	14.1%
[3][4][5][6][7][8]

• Abbeyleix, Aghaboe, Arles
• Ballacolla, Ballaghmore, Ballickmoyler, Ballinakill, Ballybrittas, Ballybrophy, Ballyhide, Ballyfin, Ballylinan, Ballyroan, Borris-in-Ossory
• Castletown, Clonaslee, Cullohill
• Donaghmore, Durrow
• Emo, Errill
• Killeshin
• Mountmellick, Mountrath
• Newtown
• Portarlington, Portlaoise
• Rathdowney, Rosenallis
• Shanahoe, Stradbally, The Swan
• Timahoe
• Vicarstown

[edit] Climate

A new weather station broadcasts from Durrow providing real time data. Click Here for Current Data The station was set up in May 2008. It is a Davis ProVantage 2 station and monitors temperature, rain, wind, wind direction, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

[edit] Demographics

The population of County Laois is expanding rapidly, given its easy commute to the employment centres of Kildare and Dublin, and affordable housing in pleasant surroundings. Laois’s population growth during the period 2002-2006 (14%) has been stronger than the National average (8.2%), ^[9] as follows^[10]:

• 2002 ... 58,774
• 2006 ... 67,012 ... +14.01%

[edit] Economy

Agricultural activities occupy approximately 70 % of the land area of the county (1,200 km²/460 sq mi). However agriculture's share of income in the BMW region of which Laois is a part has declined sharply in the past decade, and represented only approximately 3.9% of annual income (GVA) in 2005 Central Statistics Office. The county is home to over 230,000 cattle, four cows for every person. The remaining area includes considerable stretches of raised bog, and the Slieve Bloom mountains, which are partially covered by coniferous forest.

The county has a small industrial base, with industrial parks at Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick. Over 1500 people work in the industrial sector in County Laois.

However, unemployment is higher than other Irish counties, and annual income is lower at about 88% of the average. Average incomes in Laois are also well below the national average. The county makes up part of the Border Midlands and West region (BMW) for the purposes of EU funding.

Many people in Laois commute to nearby County Kildare, and further afield to County Dublin, where wages are on average higher.

[edit] Politics

Laois tends to strongly support the Fianna Fáil party in Irish elections. In the last local elections, however, there was a sharp swing to the opposition Fine Gael party. The historically important Irish figures Kevin O'Higgins and Oliver Flanagan were born in County Laois. Laois is in the Laois–Offaly constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann.

[edit] Places of interest

• Slieve Bloom Mountains
• Rock of Dunamase
• Emo Court
• Castle Durrow
• Stradbally House
• Mountmellick Quaker Museum
• Ballyfin House
• Dunamase Arts Centre, Portlaoise
• Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society

[edit] List of notable Laois people

• John George Adair (1823-1885), builder of Glenveagh Castle and financier of JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle
• Darina Allen (1953- ), TV chef
• John Barrett (1753-1821), Vice Provost, Trinity College, 1807-1821
• Lisa Burke, Sky News weathercaster
• William Dargan (1799-1867), responsible for the Industrial Exhibition, 1853
• Cecil Day-Lewis (1904-1972), British Poet-Laureate, 1967-1972
• Dr. Daniel Delaney (1747-1814), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin
• Eileen Dunne (1958- ), TV newscaster
• Oliver J. Flanagan (1920-1987), Minister for Defence, 1976-1977
• Hon. William Russell Grace (1832-1904), mayor of New York 1880-1885
• Stephen Hunt (1981-), professional footballer playing for Reading and Ireland
• James Fintan Lalor (1807-1849), Young Irelander
• Peter Lalor (1827-1889), leader of the Eureka Stockade miners revolt, Melbourne
• Dr. Bartholomew Mosse (1712-1759), founder, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin
• Valentine O'Hara (1875-1945), author and authority on Russia and the Baltic States.
• Kevin O'Higgins (1892-1927), Irish Free State Minister for Justice
• John Shaw (1773-1823), U.S. Naval Officer
• Kivas Tully (1820-1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal

[edit] See also

• List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Laois)
• List of towns and villages in Ireland

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website of Laois County Council

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Coordinates: 53°00′N 7°24′W / 53°N 7.4°W / 53; -7.4